Production of textile materials



Aprrfifl figfifi, I. TAYLUR PRODUCTION OF TEXTILE MATERIALS Filed Sept. 4, 1929 WILLIAM l, TAYLOR Inventor Patented Apr. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE land, assignor to Celanese Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application September 4, 1929, Serial No. 390,355 in Great Britain September 19, 1928 13 Claims.

This invention relates to the production or artificial silk and other artificial filaments.

Usually-artificial silk and other artificial filaments produced by extruding a spinning solution through a jet or nozzle either into a coagulating bath (the wet method) or into an evaporative medium (the dry method) are immediately formed into threads by associating a required number of filaments together and subjecting the same to a twisting operation, for example, by means of cap-spinning devices or centrifugal boxes.

It is an object of the present invention to produce artificial filaments in a different form from the above, and more especially in a condition suitable for their employment in processes such as are described in British patent application N o. 26,856/28 of September 19, 1928, which describes the production of yarns or threads from artificial filaments by forming a fibrous mass consisting of one or more artificial filamentsirregularly disposed in continuous lengths into staple lengths, and then submitting the staple lengths, either unmixed .or mixed or blended with other fibres or filaments to a spinning operation or operations similar to those employed in the production of other yarns or threads, such as cotton or wool.

According to the present invention, such a mass consisting of one or more artificial filaments irregularly disposed is produced by submitting a travelling filament or filaments to the action of a fluid blast, stream, or jet by the aid of which the filament or filaments is or are deposited promiscuously to form the fibrous mass, which is received or collected in any suitable manner.

The fluid action, which may with advantage be effected by a blast, stream, or jet of a gaseous medium such as air, may be exerted in any suitable way so as to cause the filament or filaments to be deposited irregularly. For instance, a stream of air may be directed along or around the filament or filaments in or approximately in the direction of their motion, the filament or filaments then being propelled onwards by the air stream and then collected in any suitable manner. In addition, streams transverse or inclined to the direction of motion of the filament or filaments may be employed to assist in the irregular disposition of the filaments in the mass been associated to form a non-twisted thread, for instance, in circumstances hereinafter referred to, means may be provided to restore them to a separated or dispersed state before encountering the blast, stream, or jet, so assisting the fluid to scatter the filaments.

The filaments may conveniently be subjected to the action of the fluid by means of a device comprising a tubular member which is surrounded by a second tubular member providing an annular space to which the fluid, e. g. compressed air is supplied. The outlet for the fluid is at the end of the device remote from that at which the filaments enter, and the fluid issuing from this outlet exerts an ejector action on the filaments 15 to propel them from the device. The device is preferably of double conical form, the filaments entering the wide end of the inner cone, and moreover, the device is with advantage provided with a flared outlet, forming an extension of the outer cone. The inner cone may also be provided with a flared outlet, if desired.

The filament or filaments to be collected as a mass may be subjected in the course of production to a stretching or drawing operation which reduces them to any required denier. For ex ample, they may pass over or around a feed roller or the like whose peripheral speed is greater than the speed of extrusion of the filament or filaments, so that reduction in denier is efiected prior to the operation on the filament or filaments by the fluid blast, stream, or jet, or the fluid action itself may be utilized to stretch or draw the filament or filaments, for example in the manner described in my further British patcut application No. 26,854/28 of September 19, 1928.

The invention can be applied to the production of a fibrous mass of artificial filaments, whether the filaments are produced by the dry or evaporative method or by the wet or coagulation method. The invention is, moreover, applicable to the treatment of artificial filaments having a cellulosic base, or a base of cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivatives, such as cellulose formate, propionate, or butyrate, the thiocarbamic or alkoxy-alkacyl esters of cellulose, methyl, ethyl, or benzyl cellulose, or the condensation products of cellulose and glycols or other polyhydric alcohols.

Several ways of carrying out the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood that the following description is not to be regarded as in any way limitative. The

operations and apparatus will be described with reference to the production of artificial filaments by extruding a spinning solution downwardly into an evaporative medium, though, of course, the invention is not limited to processes involving downward spinning.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows in diagrammatic section one form of apparatus for carrying out the invention,

Fig. 2 shows in perspective view a detail of a further form of apparatus,

Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically in side elevation apparatus employing the device shown in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a device shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Referring to Fig. l, the filaments 5 issuing from the jet 6 into the spinning cell 1 enter an ejector device 8 arranged at some distance below the jet 6, and preferably near the lower end of the cell. The ejector device, which is supplied with compressed air by the pipe 9, as will be seen from Fig. 4, comprises an inner cone If] and an outer cone ll, the pipe 9 being connected at the large ends of the cones to the annular space between the cones. Each cone is formed with a flared outlet as shown at E2 and [3. The filaments are drawn through the inner cone [0 and. propelled therefrom by the stream of air issuing from the outlet of the annular space between the cones, and the fiow of air aided by the fiared ends of the cones causes the filaments to disperse about the cell. After leaving the ejector device, the filaments are deposited promiscuously about the bottom of the cell 7 and collect as a fibrous mass [4 which is removed from time to time through the door l5. A cone shaped bafile l6 supported from the wall of the cell may be used to assist in the dispersion of the filaments. Further blasts of air may be introduced into the cell through pipes I! for the same purpose. If desired, a receptacle or container may be placed in the bottom of the cell to receive the mass of filaments.

The ejector device may be arranged to discharge or deliver the filaments through any suitable opening in the bottom, front, back, or a side of the chamber or cell for collection as a mass outside the cell. Alternatively, the device may be arranged outside the chamber or cell and the bundle of filaments be led out of the chamber or cell to the device and discharged or delivered therefrom for suitable collection.

The velocity of the air issuing from the device may be regulated so as to propel the filaments onwards without increasing their velocity, but, where it is desired to reduce the denier of the filaments, the velocity of the air may be increased so as to augment the ejector action of the device and to exert a stretching or drawing action on the filaments in the chamber or cell, whether the device itself is inside or outside the chamber or cell. By this arrangement, a mass of fine filaments of any required denier may be obtained, even though coarse or comparatively coarse filaments are being extruded.

In order to ensure that the filaments acted on by the compressed air do not stick together, but remain as independent filaments in the collected mass, the ejector device when employed inside the chamber or cell is arranged at such a. distance from the jet or nozzle that it operates on filaments from which so much of the volatile solvent has been removed that the filaments have ceased to be adhesive.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, filaments I8 are withdrawn from the cell [9 and passed round a feed roller which rotates at a speed greater than the speed of extrusion, thereby efiecting a reduction in denier of the filaments. After passage round the roller 20, the filaments are caused to disperse by means of an ejector device 2| of similar construction to that shown in Fig. 4, the ejector device being connected by a pipe 22 to a supply of compressed air. In order to ensure that the filaments are completely dispersed by the ejector device, particularly when the filaments are withdrawn from the cell associated into a thread and. carried round the roller 20 in thread form, guide bars 23, 24, are employed, the filaments passing from the feed roller 20 over the bar 23 and under the bar 24, which is bent slightly downwards so as to cause the filaments to spread apart. The filaments then passing over the bar 25 maintain their separated condition and enter the ejector device 2|. The air issuing from the ejector device disperses the filaments in a similar manner to the device 8 shown in Fig. 1. In place of or in addition to the bent bar 24, a grooved or notched bar or a reed or comb may be employed to separate the filaments. The filaments are conveniently collected in a perforated or gauze container or basket 26, air escaping from the perforations or meshes and the filaments collecting at the bottom of the container or basket.

In the annexed claims the expression artificial silk filamen is intended to include not only filaments, but other products obtainable by extrusion.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Process for the production of artificial silk filaments, said process comprising submitting a continuous travelling filament to the action of a fluid stream so as to deposit the filament promiscuously, and collecting the deposited filament as a fibrous mass.

2. Process for the production of artificial silk filaments, said process comprising submitting a continuous travelling filament to the action of a stream of compressed air so as to deposit the filament promiscuously, and collecting the deposited filament as a fibrous mass.

3. Process for the production of artificial silk filaments, said process comprising applying stretch to a continuous travelling filament and submitting the stretched filament to the action of a fluid stream, so as to deposit the filament promiscuously, and collecting the deposited filament as a fibrous mass.

- 4. Process for the production of artificial silk filaments, said process comprising applying stretch to a continuous travelling filament and submitting the stretched filament to the action of a stream of compressed air, so as to deposit the filament promiscuously, and collecting the deposited filament as a fibrous mass.

5. Process for the production of artificial silk filaments, said process comprising applying to a continuous travelling filament a fluid stream in such a manner as to stretch the filament, and to deposit it promiscuously, and collecting the deposited filament as a fibrous mass.

6. Process for the production of artificial silk filaments, said process comprising applying to a continuous travelling filament a stream of compressed air in such a manner as to stretch the filament and to deposit it promiscuously, and collecting the deposited filament as a fibrous mass.

- 7. Process for the production of artificial silk filaments, said process comprising extruding a plurality of filaments into a setting medium, associating the filaments into a thread, applying tension to the thread so as to stretch the filaments in their passage through the setting medium, dispersing the filaments of the thread, submitting the dispersed filaments to the action of a fluid stream so as to deposit the filaments promiscuously, and collecting the deposited filaments as a fibrous mass.

8. Process for the production of artificial silk filaments from a spinning solution of an organic derivative of cellulose in a solvent liquid, said process comprising extruding a thread of filaments into an evaporative medium, associating the filaments thus extruded into a thread, applying tension to the thread so as to stretch the filaments being extruded, dispersing the filament of the thread and submitting the dispersed filaments to the action of a gaseous fluid stream continuously with their production so as to deposit the filaments promiscuously, and collecting the deposited filaments as a fibrous mass.

9. Process for the production of artificial silk filaments from a spinning solution of cellulose acetate in a solvent liquid, said process comprising extruding a thread of filaments into an evapcrative medium, associating the filaments thus extruded into a thread, applying tension to the thread so as to stretch the filaments being extruded, dispersing the filament of the thread and submitting the dispersed filaments to the action of a gaseous fluid stream continuously with their production so as to deposit the filaments promiscuously, and collecting the deposited filaments as a fibrous mass.

10. Apparatus for the production of artificial silk filaments, comprising a spinning nozzle, an ejector device through which the filament extruded from the spinning nozzle is caused to pass, a solid surface, and means for supplying a fluid to the ejector device to apply a fluid stream to the filament so as to deposit the filament promiscuously on said surface.

11. Apparatus for the production of artificial silk filaments, comprising a spinning nozzle, a stretching roller adapted to receive filaments extruded from said nozzle, and an ejector device surrounding the paths of the filaments proceeding from the stretching roller and adapted to apply a fluid stream to the filaments so as to deposit the filaments promiscuously upon a surface.

12. Apparatus for the production of artificial silk filaments, comprising a spinning nozzle, a stretching roller adapted to receive filaments extruded from said nozzzle, an ejector device, and means for separating said filaments of the thread between the stretching roller and the ejector device, said ejector device being adapted to apply a fluid stream to the separated filaments so as to deposit them promiscuously.

13. Apparatus for the production of artificial silk filaments, comprising a spinning nozzle, a stretching roller adapted to receive filaments extruded from said nozzle, and an ejector device comprising a tubular member which is surrounded by a second tubular member forming an annular space between the members in which fluid is supplied, and having an annular opening adapted to apply a fluid stream to the filaments to deposit them promiscuously.

WILLIAM IVAN TAYLOR. 

